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Minutes of the Host Families
Assistance Co-ordination Meeting
Mr. Agostino Mulas, UNHCR
1. Cash assistance to host families SDR representative reminded that the first payment of its retroactive cash assistance programme will be at the beginning of November covering the period May - June and the second instalment will be paid at the end of November or in December covering the period July -August. He informed that Skopska Crna Gora will also be included in the cash allowance for May. The EU host families financial assistance programme
will start in January and will cover the period from October 2001 to March
2002 with monthly assistance of 100 DEM per family. The payment for the
period October -December will be made in January 2002, while the second
instalment will be paid out in April 2002 and will cover the period January
- March 2002. Mr. Harper explained in more detail the de-registration process whereas he noted that the Red Cross database will be adjusted to the new system accordingly and will provide for issuing identification card to each of the eligible beneficiaries. De-registration is to be completed by end November and until then ICRC will continue the distribution against the old, geographic lists. Educated estimate of the total number of beneficiaries on the new needs-based lists that will come out after the de-registration is completed is 25-30,000 persons whereby the total number of host families is estimated at 5,000. Mr Harper stressed that these estimates are relevant to distribution of assistance only and are not to be used for planning purposes. Bearing in mind that the security situation is still fluid, despite the decrease in the number of IDPs, NGOs are advised when planning their activities to stick to the figure of 50,000 IDPs (excluding refugees and affected population) and later revise it once de-registration is completed at the end of November and the number of IDPs is known more precisely in December, when identification cards will be given to each de-registered beneficiary. 2. ARC led survey on winterisation The Chairperson presented to the meeting the overview of the results of the ARC survey on winterisation. This survey has confirmed the existing disparity in assistance to IDPs in host families and collective centres. While collective centres are fully covered for almost all types of assistance available, host families seem to suffer from negligence. It was emphasised once again that IDPs should be targeted equally regardless of whether they are accommodated in CCs or host families. The table presented shows clear gap in assistance to host families. (see attached table). The Chair reported on the request/suggestion from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy concerning central heating installations in CCs that need repairing. He reminded that assessment of the repair/upgrading needs has already been made by IRC within the Shelter Co-ordination Group. The repair/upgrading is therefore open for expression of interest by agencies. The Chair noted that funds available within the UNHCR QIPs programme could be used for these purposes. World Vision representative suggested that upgrading of the heating systems is possible under the condition that certain Ministries or the Government accept to cover the heating cost. The Chair explained that the Government had submitted request for covering CCs running costs to EU. Since there are issues that are present, the Chair suggested that different areas of intervention should be looked at one by one. The Chair acknowledged that OFDA is considering the possibility of undertaking repair/upgrading of host families' houses, as the European Perspective is the only agency active in this sector. OFDA advised that only 50-60% of the funds available from the ongoing 3-month programme could be used for host families, while Mercy Corps and Shelter Now International will implement this programme. As for winter clothing, UNICEF is palnning to provide winter clothes packages for IDPs children 0-18 accommodated both in collective centres and host families, as well as for refugee children in CCs and those living in institutions. World Vision is still waiting the 3 containers of winter clothes to arrive. The representative informed that they could not specify the contents of each container since these are a corporate donation. Yet he said that there are clothes for minimum 2-3,000 people per container. DRC reported that they have funds for host families, yet are still negotiating with local NGOs through which DRC is planning to carry out the distribution in Tetovo and Kumanovo areas. 3. UNICEF vulnerability assessment UNICEF announced that the host families and IDPs survey results were available, and briefed on some of the most interesting findings from the report on host families such as that a very high percentage of host families that accepted IDPs (71%) answered that they have not received any assistance at all. As much as 93% of the questioned host families answered that they have not received any assistance in complementary food. The psychological interpretation of the survey is still being prepared by Dr. Kos. UNICEF will share the soft version of this report with other agencies upon request. The Chairperson emphasised the fact that there is no need of further assessments since sufficient information on most affected areas and beneficiaries is available. The Chairperson also stressed the importance that once the needs are identified, immediate action should be taken.
AnaPopovska/UNHCR/Skopje
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